SCIENIDE.

23. Cynoscion magdalenæ (Steindachner) Jor. & Gilb.

Common in the bay of San Diego.

24. Menticirrus elongatus (Günther) Gill.

A large species of Menticirrus, probably Umbrina elongata of Günther, is taken occasionally in the bay. We have obtained one specimen.

25. Corvina saturna (Girard) Steindachner.

Not uncommon.

26. Roncador stearnsi (Steindachner) Jor. & Gilb. (gen. nov.).

Common. This species, having a serrated preopercle and only villiform teeth in either jaw, is not a Corvina as that genus is understood by many recent writers. Its relations are rather with Scianops ocellatus, with which it is, however, hardly congeneric. We propose to consider it as the type of a distinct genus or subgenus, for which the name Roncador, applied to it by the Italian fishermen, may be adopted. This word appears also in the Latin name of a related species, Umbrina ronchus.

Roncador, gen. nov. Allied to Corvina and Scianops.

Body moderately elongated, the head deep, the profile declivous, lower jaw included; both jaws with a broad band of villiform teeth only; no enlarged teeth or canines; pseudobranchia present; preopercle strongly and evenly dentate posteriorly, entire below; spines strong, the second of the anal very robust, but not very long; caudal fin lunate, air-bladder large.

This species, Roncador stearnsi, is as readily distinguished by the black pectoral spot as its relative, Scianops ocellatus, is by the black spot on the caudal.

27. Embiotoca jacksoni Ag.

Common.

EMBIOTOCIDE.

28. Amphistichus argenteus Ag. Occasional.

29. Ditrema furcatum (Grd.) Günther. Common.

30. Hyperprosopon arcuatum Gibbons.

Not uncommon.

31. Cymatogaster aggregatus Gibbons. Very abundant.

32. Abeona minima (Gibbons) Gill. Occasional.

LABRIDE.

33. Pimelometopon pulcher (Ayres) Gill.

Very abundant in the kelp outside the bay.

SPHYRÆNIDE.

34. Sphyræna argentea Girard.

Very abundant outside the bay in the fall.

ATHERINIDE.

35. Chirostoma californiense (Girard) Gill. Exceedingly abundant.

36. Atherinops affinis (Ayres) Steindachner. Scarcely less common.

37. Leuresthes tenuis (Ayres) Jor. & Gilb. (gen. nov.)

Leuresthes, gen. nov., allied to Atherinops Steindachner, but with the teeth wanting or reduced to slight or deciduous asperities. In the specimens which we have obtained of this species no teeth whatever are observable.

The much greater width of the posterior portion of the premaxillary in Chirostoma, Atherinops, and Leuresthes serve to distinguish these genera from Atherina, in addition to the differences in the form of the mouth. Labidesthes Cope has, like Atherina, a slender premaxillary, but the mouth is curved and the jaws much produced forwards. The group called by Girard Heterognathus has likewise a broad premaxillary. It is probably not separable generically from Chirostoma, although the lower jaw is much stronger and some teeth are present on the vomer.

Leuresthes tenuis is occasionally taken in San Diego Bay, but it is much less abundant than the others and attains a smaller size.

MUGILIDÆ.

38. Mugil mexicanus Steindachner.

Very abundant in San Diego Bay. Our specimens have the anal III, 8, instead of III, 7, as stated by Dr. Steindachner.

SCOMBERESOCIDE.

39. Hemirhamphus sp. incert.

The young of a species of Hemirhamphus is very abundant in San Diego Bay. We are at present unable to identify it with any of the known species, but having seen no specimens over four inches long, we

do not think proper to describe it as new. The rays both in dorsal and anal are 14 or 15; the lower jaw is contained 4 times in the total length. It is allied to H. pleii and H. unifasciatus, but it is probably distinct from both.

40. Belone exilis Girard.

Occasionally taken. One specimen seen.

CYPRINODONTIDÆ.

41. Fundulus parvipinnis Girard.

Very common in the Bay of San Diego.

ALBULIDE.

42. Albula vulpes (L.) Goode.

This species visits the bay at intervals, in considerable schools. Sev eral specimens were obtained.

43. Clupea sagax Jenyns.

CLUPEIDE.

Very abundant in San Diego Bay. The very largest are nearly plain in coloration. The ordinary specimens have a very distinct series of round, blackish spots along the sides of the back, with smaller ones above it, which form stripes along the rows of scales.

44. Clupea mirabilis Girard.

Very abundant in San Diego Bay. The vomerine teeth in this species are very few and often not to be found. It should not be generically separated from the preceding.

Length of tail almost exactly equal to that of the rest of the body, head forming one-seventh of the total length; snout short, narrow, and pointed, occipital region becoming fleshy and much elevated with age; dorsal fin beginning immediately in front of the gill openings.

Tube of the anterior nostril half as long as the eye; the posterior nostril with a slight membranous expansion, not forming a tube; diameter of eye contained 24 times in the length of the snout, being placed nearly above the middle of the gape; gill opening slightly longer than the eye.

Sides of the upper jaw with two series of teeth posteriorly; the outer series small, close-set, somewhat triangular in form, slightly recurved, immovable; the inner series similar in form, but much larger, depressible, the series not extending so far back as the outer and consisting of about five teeth; the two series separated by a well-defined groove; in front of these, and continuous with the outer series, are three nearly fixed knife-shaped teeth, the posterior the larger, next a movable tooth similar to the last fixed one but smaller, and three small fixed teeth in front. On the middle line of the vomer are three depressible, fang-like, arrow-shaped teeth, the first rather smaller than the largest lateral teeth, the other two subequal and considerably larger, the posterior one very freely movable. These teeth are subject to some variation in different individuals, and are seldom quite alike on both sides of the same fish.

In the lower jaw is a single series corresponding to the fixed series in the upper jaw. These are similarly enlarged in front, where the series is partly duplicated and some of the teeth are movable. The teeth in the lower jaw are broader and more directed backwards than those in the upper jaw.

MYLIOBATIDE.

48. Myliobatis californicus Gill.

(Rhinoptera vespertilio Girard.)

The commonest of the numerous sting rays in San Diego Bay.

DASYBATIDE.

49. Pteroplatea marmorata Cooper.

Common in San Diego Bay. Probably distinct from P. hirundo, having a narrower disk and shorter tail, with distinct dermal fold above and below.

50. Urolophus halleri Cooper.

Common. This species is certainly not identical with U. torpedinus, in the synonymy of which species it is placed by Dr. Günther. Its skin is entirely smooth. It is probably a valid species, more nearly allied to U. cruciatus than to U. torpedinus.

51. Dasybatis dipterurus sp. nov.

Allied to Dasybatis centrurus and D. pastinaca.

Disk rhomboid, slightly broader than long; anterior margins nearly straight forwards, meeting in a very obtuse angle; posterior margins curved; lateral angles rounded. Tail nearly half longer than disk, with

a conspicuous cutaneous fold below and a smaller but evident one above. Upper jaw considerably curved, with a slight convex protuberance in front, which fits into a slight emargination in the lower jaw, which is convex, its outlines corresponding to the curves of the upper jaw. Bands of teeth wider in front than laterally. Inside of mouth behind the lower jaw with three fleshy processes. Teeth about ; about 8 in a cross-series in the upper jaw and 10 in the lower.

Color light brown, somewhat marbled with darker, but without distinct spots; tail blackish; belly white.

Skin everywhere perfectly smooth in all the specimens seen.

This species is known to us from four female specimens taken in San Diego Bay. These range in length from 18 to 24 inches, and are therefore but partially grown. Several other specimens, some of them larger, have been seen in a pile of refuse fish thrown away by the Chinese fishThese were, however, too far gone for preservation or descrip

ermen.

tion.

52. Platyrhina exasperata sp. nov.

Disk rhombic, about as broad as long, the snout prominent, but bluntish at the tip, the angle made by the anterior margins of the pectorals rather less than a right angle, but the snout itself rounded at the tip. Anterior margin of pectorals nearly straight.

Eyes rather large; nasal ridges well separated, little converging, not meeting anteriorly. Mouth rather narrow, slightly convex forward. Teeth about. Nostrils with a large anterior flap, which projects backwards and covers a narrower posterior flap.

Ventral fins separate, entire, their outer margin slightly convex.

Tail depressed, with a broad lateral fold; dorsal fins comparatively